In my recent visit to a major PC manufacturer, I was amazed at the global diversity of its operations.  With operations in multiple different countries, the parent company employees find themselves with less and less personal interactions in the course of their normal business day.  A lot of communication is electronic or face-to-face at another company such as a branch office, subcontractor or supplier.  So I asked some of the employees "how could someone climb the corporate ladder in such a virtual environment?"  The answer was simply to take on more work.  An "eager" individual could choose to manage more projects or initiatives, increasing their visibility to more people.  This should remind you of the presidential campaigns.  You get more votes by visiting more people in more locations. 

For those seeking a work-life balance or some resemblance of a life outside of work, this can present somewhat of a challenge.  How do you actually gain any career mobility in such diverse organizations?  Most large organizations are already in this situation or trending towards it to increase their profit margins, the outlook that it will change anytime soon is bleak. 

Naturally all of us would like to achieve continued success in our careers for which we all define the amount of work we will put into it to achieve it.  For me, I'm usually seeking it in many different arenas at the same time in hopes something pays off.  Yet, I still love my free time.

So how do we maintain a balance and still achieve continued success?  It starts with finding more efficient ways to do what it takes to be more successful.  Very few argue the importance of establishing a personal brand.  When you don't have a lot of interaction with management, you need a great brand to speak for you. 

With Mass branding techniques, you can create your brand by maximizing its exposure.  An easy way to think about it is to watch the news to see how the politicians promote themselves.  They campaign but do it in a way that reaches the most people in a single event.  Trying to improve your brand in the normal course of daily interaction with those in your company will take too long, even if you live there.  So, build your brand faster by using these Mass Branding techniques.

1.  Speaking.  This can be inside the company (e.g. you give a training class) or outside the company (e.g. church, toastmasters, schools).  Never pass up on a chance to captivate an audience.  Just by taking the opportunity you show that you aren't afraid of the "lime light."  It shows you can handle pressure and stress.  You don't have to be a great speaker.  You can treat it just like a normal conversation.  You can even engage the audience by asking them questions, which takes the light off of you.

2.  Volunteering.  Companies are run by people.  People live in neighborhoods.  Neighborhoods engage in activities that support their ideals, values and quest for happiness.  Inclusion in such activities provides opportunity to create and share ideas, learn and let people know who you are.  A friend of mine managed a fundraiser that included a 5k fun run.  He took the opportunity to speak to everyone before the race.  He had the stage in front of hundreds of people.  These are the opportunities you need to seek out.  Volunteer in neighborhoods and events that you feel have the audience you need.  Then, wow them.

3.  Writing.  The Internet is the best place to reach a vast audience quickly.  Creating your brand couldn't be easier.  Take every opportunity to write comments on blogs.  But not just any blog.  Find the most popular ones.  That increases visibility.  Make connections with those popular authors and share your purpose.  Create your own blog or website.  People will help you promote yourself.  Make connections. Just be willing to help them in return.  Promote others.  Share in your success.  Share your knowledge.  Give, give, give and people will respond.

4.  Teaming.  Build your own branding team.  Get together with some friends, create a marketing plan for each of you and then go out and market your brand.  This can be done inside and outside the organization.  Building brand inside an organization is built much faster when someone else is singing your praises.  If it's just you, it sounds like you're just tooting your own horn.  Of course, you can do a little of that too. 

If you look at all four techniques, I named them using action words.  This is because the biggest problem with building a brand is that it takes work.  Work is required to get the word out.  People inside your company don't know that much about you because they don't work directly with you or associate with you on the outside.  People in your neighborhood may not know you because they don't have the opportunity to interface with you.  Make these opportunities.  When you do, make it a big event.  This will help create that brand a lot faster.  It's the best way to form a Career Campaign!

Best of luck and let me know how I can help.

Never Climb Alone,
Todd